Guitarist/vocalist Lindsey Buckingham filed a lawsuit against his former Fleetwood Mac band mates on Tuesday in a Los Angeles court. Buckingham, who feels he was fired, parted ways with the band earlier this year ahead of a massive North American Tour. A copy of legal documents obtained by Rolling Stone include claims of “breach of fiduciary duty, breach of oral contract and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage” and more.
News of the lawsuit comes just days after Buckingham discussed his departure from Fleetwood Mac in a new interview. Lindsey said an ultimatum from Stevie Nicks and his asking for a three-month delay in plans for Mac’s 60-show tour were among the reasons he was let go without warning. “Last January, Fleetwood Mac made the decision to continue to tour without me,” Buckingham told Rolling Stone about the suit. “I remain deeply surprised and saddened, as this decision ends the beautiful 43-year legacy we built together. Over the last eight months, our many efforts to come to an agreement have unfortunately proved elusive. I’m looking forward to closure, and will always remain proud of all that we created, and what that legacy represents.” Lindsey said all attempts to contact his former band mates have been rebuffed.
Fleetwood Mac’s Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks and John McVie replaced Buckingham with Heartbreakers’ guitarist Mike Campbell and Neil Finn of Crowded House. The new lineup recently kicked off the North American Tour in Tulsa. Buckingham’s suit claims a deal was struck with Live Nation in which each member of Fleetwood Mac would earn between $12 and $14 million for 60 concerts. “By excluding Buckingham from participating in the 2018-2019 Fleetwood Mac tour in breach of their fiduciary duties of loyalty and good faith and fair dealing,” reads a portion of the documents filed by Lindsey, “the Defendants intentionally acted to interfere with Buckingham’s relationship with Live Nation and the prospective economic benefit he was to receive as a result of his participation in the tour.”
Fleetwood Mac’s spokesperson issued the following statement to Rolling Stone in response to the lawsuit, “It’s impossible for the band to offer comment on a legal complaint they have not seen. It’s fairly standard legal procedure to service the complaint to the parties involved, something that neither Mr. Buckingham nor his legal counsel have done. Which makes one wonder what the true motivations are when servicing press first with a legal complaint before the parties in dispute.”
Both Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac are in the middle of, separate, tours. Head to Rolling Stone for more including the legal documents filed by Buckingham.
